328 BIRDS OF EUROPE AND NORTH AFRICA 



PHASIANIDiE. 



Nares bare of feathers ; tarsus also unfeathered. 



Tetraogallus. 



Birds of Capercailzie size, with a tarsal spur in male ; 

 frequent rocky districts at high elevations, chiefly above tree 

 limit ; nest of dried plants under overhanging rocks ; eggs 

 dull ochreous with an oily green tinge, spotted and blotched 

 with dull dark red. 



Tetraogallus caucasicus (Pallas). Snow Partridge. 



^ $ Above black, vermiculated buff, with patches of 

 cinnamon and pale buff on outer webs of wing coverts and 

 scapulars ; primaries white with brown tips ; hind neck brown, 

 not barred ; crown and nape brownish grey ; foreneck and sides 

 of neck white ; beneath, chest huffy grey, rest of underparts 

 barred black and chestnut, and similarly streaked on flanks. 

 Bill brownish horn, darker at base. Bare skin at base of bill, 

 eye-rim, and bare stripe behind eye yellowish. Legs and feet 

 orange yellow. Wing 265-280 (H.). 9 and young males have 

 no spur on tarsus. 



Resident. — N. Caucasus. 



Alectoris. 



$ with only an indication of a spur on tarsus ; sexes 

 alike ; bill and feet red j great runners, but often perch ; eggs 

 laid in a depression in soil, buff slightly marked dull red. 



Alectoris graeca graeca (Meisner). Rock Partridge. 

 Fr. Bartavelle ; Ger. Steinhuhn ; Ital. Coturnice. 



(J $ Above brownish grey with vinous tinge on upper 

 back, scapulars chestnut with grey blue centres ; crown grey 

 with vinous or brown tinge, throat white, surrounded by a black 

 band extending through eye and across lores and forehead ; ear 

 coverts chestnut, forehead and breast grey, abdomen reddish buff; 

 tail (except central feathers) pale cinnamon ; bars on flanks in 

 successive colours, slate (base), black, white, black, chestnut. 



